


The Warlock in the Woods

by Queenie18



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Dead Alec Lightwood, F/M, Immortal Magnus Bane, M/M, Mortal Alec Lightwood, Post canon, outside pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:40:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24356689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queenie18/pseuds/Queenie18
Summary: His face, though. His face spoke of old sadness and mourning. He didn’t smile, and his eyes never twinkled. He stared at her with a careful blankness that felt like heartbreak and when she rose, Eva felt almost inferior.—Eva Lightwood-Bane meets the famed ‘Warlock in the Woods’ four centuries after his husband’s death.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Max Lightwood-Bane/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 166





	The Warlock in the Woods

Eva always heard the rumour that a powerful warlock lived in the woods.

It is said he was the son of a Prince of Hell, and that once, he had been so powerful that the Shadow World could have bowed at his feet.

But it is also said he hasn’t been in civilisation for centuries. And that he wanders the woods entirely alone, like a ghost with unfinished business.

However, she never expected to meet him.

It had been a usual spring day. She was laughing as her and her husband Max played a teleporting game of hide and seek. She had a tiring week as High Warlock and playing with her husband instead of doing her duty seemed like an excellent idea.

Only she had been running through the woods and inelegantly slammed into a solid body with an undignified ‘oomph’. There was an apology already on her lips, but when she looked up at the man, she let out an unsteady breath.

He was beautiful. Swamped in a long white gown, the paleness highlighted the deep golden of his skin and his cat’s eyes. His hair was long, unruly, and rested at his elbows. She frowned when she saw he was barefooted but his aura was something overwhelming, almost addictive.

His face, though. His face spoke of old sadness and mourning. He didn’t smile, and his eyes never twinkled. He stared at her with a careful blankness that felt like heartbreak and when she rose, Eva felt almost inferior.

“I am so sorry.” She said with a stammer and the man tilted his head in acknowledgment.

“It is alright, my dear.” He replied and gestured with his hand. “Walk with me?”

Eva nodded in agreement and they walked side by side, his hands clasped together in the front of his gown.

“Why are you here?” She asked then swore under her breath when she realised how rude it sounded.

To her relief, he only laughed lightly.

“I live here.”

Eva furrowed her brows. “In the woods?”

He hummed. “Yes. It is peaceful.”

She wasn’t sure how to reply to that so they walked in silence, the cool breeze of evening playing over her skin. She watched how he walked, like he was flowing water. He seemed unreal, like a figment of her imagination.

“You’re a warlock, aren’t you?” She said finally. “The warlock in the woods?”

“Is that what they call me these days?” The man asked.

Eva smiled. “Not a fan of rumours?”

The man’s head tilted upwards. “I used to be. Not anymore.”

Eva understood that somewhat. Marrying as a warlock was taboo as it was, and marrying a warlock as famous as Max had stemmed a lot of gossip about them. She want unaware that Max had been brought up during the aftermath of The Circle.

“I get it.” She said simply. “My husband isn’t a fan of them either.”

To her surprise, a light smile danced in the man’s lips. He faced her and there was some amusement in his eyes, making them glow. She imagined once they had been so breathtaking if he had ever been in love.

“Max, isn’t it?” He mused. “You’re exactly as he described.”

Eva gaped openly at him. How did the man know? Why hadn’t Max mentioned him?

“I’m sorry I didn’t attend the ceremony.” The man continued, his gaze stubbornly fixated on a tree. “I find it difficult to attend weddings now.”

“I’m sorry,” Eva said carefully. “Who are you?”

The man let out a small laugh. “Max is my son.” Then he faced her and stopped walking, holding out a hand. “I’m Magnus.”

Eva let out a breath. She knew of Magnus. Max didn’t speak of his papa often, there was always an undertone of sorrow that shadowed over him that Eva rarely asked. But she knew that he had been married to a Lightwood, a Shadowhunter. He was one of the few who created the modern day Shadow World.

“Magnus Lightwood-Bane.” She said with awe. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know what you looked like.”

And she thought he was flamboyant, wearing makeup and jewellery unashamedly. Max said he was a freewheeling bisexual. Eva imagined a man of colour, of light and laughter.

This man seemed dull, almost lifeless.

That’s when it hit her as she stared at him.

_White._

_The Shadowhunter’s colour of mourning._

“No need to worry, my dear.” Magnus said softly. “Max was likely just trying to protect me.”

Eva blushed. “He does love you very much.”

Magnus nodded. “And I love him. Which is why I do apologise for not meeting you sooner.”

“It’s fine.” She replied and smiled sympathetically. “I understand.”

And she did. She saw it now, in the whites and careful sadness, why Max refused to talk about his papa. Magnus seemed to be in a permanent state of mourning. Maybe he wondered the woods alone to reminisce.

Max was almost four hundred years old. She imagined loving a mortal for that long would damage anyone.

Magnus only gripped his hands together tighter. “Where is blueberry, anyways?”

Eva giggled then. “We’re playing hide and seek. He’ll find me soon enough.”

Magnus raised an eyebrow. “I thought he grew out of that game two centuries ago.”

Eva rolled her eyes. “Max is a child. He’ll never grow up.”

“That is true.”

They started walking again. Eva noticed the large ring on Magnus’ hand, looking freshly polished, as though it was brand new and not centuries old. It was the only jewellery he wore. His hair was drifting lightly in the wind.

Eva was once again stunned by how simply beautiful he was. The white made him seem ethereal, a dream. She could almost forget about how much pain and misery he had seen. Here, he looked at peace.

And maybe he was. Maybe this was where he was his happiest.

_I find it difficult to attend weddings now._

“He loves it here.” Magnus finally said.

Eva blinked at the soft awe in his voice, like a gentle declaration. For some reason, she knew he want talking about Max.

“He does?”

Magnus hummed. “Yes. Alexander always loved the quiet. Sometimes we would spend weeks by ourselves in some unknown part of the world.”

“My sort of man, then.” Eva said simply.

Magnus said nothing but there was a flicker of a smile on his lips.

“He loves you.”

Eva blushed darkly. “Thank you. I wished I could have met him.”

Magnus only blinked owlishly at her and shook his head. His hand grazed the bark of a tree as they wondered past, the light glinting off the ring so it shone.

“He’s right here.” Magnus mused, holding his hands together. “You have met him.”

Eva just stared at him. Suddenly there was a wave of pity for both Max and Magnus. To know your father still lives in a dream where his dad was still alive - her heart broke a little. She never met her parents, but she knew Max adored his. No wonder he hated speaking about them.

“Right.” She whispered. “Of course.”

Then a portal flickered to life and Max stumbled through, still wearing his blue suit from the party as he heaved. Eva’s lips happily stretched into a grin when she saw her husband, his blue skin flushed and dark hair messily mused.

She was so in love with him.

“Eva.” He chucked then blanched when he saw who she was with, Magnus studying him with a tilted head. “And papa.”

Magnus smiled. “Hello blueberry.”

Max sniffed and he ran forward, holding Magnus in one of his incredible bear hugs. Magnus’ hands were trembling as they gripped Max’s back and Eva blinked as she watched them in awe.

It was obvious how much they loved each other.

“Missed you papa.” Max mumbled against his father’s neck, no matter that he was taller than him. “Sorry I haven’t visited more.”

Magnus cooed. “It’s okay, Maxi. I understand.”

Max nodded furiously against Magnus and the his eyes peered up and watched Eva carefully. By the crinkles by his eyes, she knew he was smiling. And Eva almost swooned at the beauty of her husband, blue eyes glowering dangerously.

When they parted, Max walked over and pulled Eva into his arms, holding her hand tightly. Magnus watched them with a little smile and glimmer in his eyes. Eva was right, he looked so stunning when those cat’s eyes glimmered.

“Papa, meet my wife, Eva Lightwood-Bane, High Warlock of Chicago.” Max faced Eva with a happy, lazy smile. “And Eva meet Magnus Lightwood-Bane, my papa.”

She giggled and whacked his arm in jest. “I already meet him, you doofus.”

He rolled his eyes. “Oops.”

Magnus nodded at them. “She’s perfect, Max.”

Eva blushed as Max gave out a whoop and rocked them both. “I knew you would love her.”

Magnus just stared at them. “I do.”

Max released his grip on her and there was enough tension in his arm to suggest that whatever he was feeling wasn’t entirely pleasant. Eva looked up at him, to see him gazing down at her with furrowed brows and a pinched lip.

She knew what he was thinking. So she gripped his arm and nodded in understanding. Max relaxed against her.

“We have to go, papa.” Max admitted sheepishly. “Rowan doesn’t know we left the party.”

Eva grimaced in reply. She hated the stuffy vampire but relations were important. Besides, he served good wine.

“Then go.” Magnus replied with a bland voice. “I’m not alone anyways.”

Max froze for a second. Eva only squeezed his arm once.

“We’ll come back tomorrow.” He said again, already twirling his hands to create a portal. “If you’d like?”

Magnus raised an eyebrow. “You know I’d like that, blueberry.”

Max nodded. “Then tomorrow.”

Max was walking toward the portal with large steps but Eva waited then stepped forward to Magnus and held his hands. Up close, his golden skin looked silky, his feline tilted eyes adorned with heavy eyelashes. She smiled bashfully.

“It was lovely to meet you.”

Magnus squeezed her hands then let them go. “And you, my dear.”

She stared at him for a second longer then drew away, walking toward the open portal that displayed the dark wood of Rowan’s drawing room. She almost stepped through but turned back for a final look.

Magnus wasn’t looking at her. Instead he was standing by a tree, leaning against the bark as his head tilted toward the small clearing behind him. She blinked. For a second, she could almost see another person there, a taller, muscled man with tousled brown hair. He seemed to flicker and wane between visibility and nothingness. 

But from what she could see, he was smiling.

When Magnus faced her, there was a knowing look on his face. Eva said nothing as she stepped through the portal, but watched as the man faded once again.

When she turned and reached out to hold Max’s hand, she wondered whether Magnus’ delusions might not be delusions after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Oops. Angst is apparently my fav thing so 🤷♀️
> 
> Kudos and comments are always welcomed!


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